Eligibility: Videos must be produced by students currently in high school (grades 9–12) in Nebraska and during the current school year. Students may work in teams, but all key creative roles (director, editor, etc.) should be filled by students. Adults may appear in videos, but student actors must be a focus (adults may be the subject of documentaries/commercials). Example: Videos with exclusively adult actors would be disqualified. Adult advisors (teachers) can supervise and give guidance, but the work should be student-led. No professionally made videos or teacher-made projects are allowed in competition.
Submission Format: All videos should be submitted in a common digital format (recommend .MP4 1080p HD resolution). Teachers should pre-screen and upload student entries on Film Freeway.
Entries: All entries will be submitted via Filmfreeway. There will not be a cost to enter. All entries at each school should be entered by one teacher. This will ensure that schools don’t submit more than three entries per category. The teacher who entered on filmfreeway should use their email as the contact. They will be the one responsible for RSVPs for their students. Number of Entries per School: To manage the volume, each school may submit up to three entries per category. A student may only submit one video per category (listed as a director). If an individual student or team has multiple projects, they should choose their best or coordinate with their teacher to select one per category.
Notification: Teachers will be notified of finalists in advance (at least a month before the event) that they’ve been selected for screening. This allows those teams to plan to attend the festival and invite supporters. It will also allow us to invite alternates if students can not attend. We will also prepare a printed program listing all finalist films, filmmakers, and schools.
RSVP: Students or Teachers must accept their invitation to attend the contest by the announced deadline. Students must be present to compete. In the event a student from the video cannot attend, the video will be removed from the festival and an alternate may be selected.
Entry Pre-screening: Teachers or a school representative should preview student films before submission to ensure they meet all guidelines (appropriate content, no technical issues, rule compliance) This “quality control” step will help avoid disqualifications. The submission form will require sign-off that rules were followed.
Original Content: All entries must be the original work of the students or school. Use of any copyrighted material (music, images, video clips) is prohibited unless you have obtained proper licensing or written permission. Students should not rely heavily on stock footage. It’s advised to include credits for music/images to demonstrate legality. Films that violate copyright rules or that were not primarily made by students may be disqualified. Judges make final decisions.
Use of AI visual generation: Videos should have human authorship in concept, storytelling, and creative execution. Filmmakers must be transparent about if and how AI is used in their work. AI content should not dominate the film or compromise the continuity and artistic integrity of the work.
Appropriate for School Audience: Content must be school-appropriate in language and theme. This is a family-friendly event, so no excessive profanity, graphic violence, or inappropriate sexual content. We encourage positive, inclusive storytelling. Judges and organizers reserve the right to reject any film that they deem inappropriate for a general high school audience. The final decision is the judges discretion.
Time Limits: Films must not exceed the category time limits (as listed above).
Ownership and Rights: Students retain ownership of their films, but by submitting, they agree to allow the festival to screen their video and use clips or stills for promotional purposes (e.g., a highlight reel or social media posts about the event). All participants should understand their films may be shown publicly.
Honesty and Conduct: We expect good sportsmanship. Schools should not engage in negative campaigns against others.. Any evidence of plagiarism, cheating, or negative behavior will result in disqualification. The emphasis is on learning and celebration.
